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Effect of breast feeding on the plasma cholesterol and growth of infants
P L Jooste1, L J Rossouw, H J Steenkamp
1Research Institutes for Nutritional Diseases and Biostatistics, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Insights
Breast-feeding temporarily increases plasma cholesterol in infants, with effects diminishing after weaning. Breast-fed infants also showed lower body weight but similar body length compared to formula-fed infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Infant feeding practices significantly impact early development and health markers.
- Understanding the long-term effects of breast-feeding on infant physiology is crucial for public health guidelines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal effects of breast-feeding on plasma cholesterol, body weight, and body length in infants up to one year of age.
- To compare outcomes between exclusively breast-fed, bottle-fed, and combination-fed infants.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of 512 free-living infants from birth to 1 year.
- Categorization of infants into exclusive breast-feeding, bottle-feeding, and combination feeding groups.
- Measurement of plasma cholesterol, body weight, and body length at birth, 3 months, and 12 months.
Main Results:
- At 3 months, exclusively breast-fed infants had significantly higher mean plasma cholesterol and a greater proportion of hypercholesterolemic infants (p < 0.001).
- These differences in plasma cholesterol normalized by 1 year of age.
- Breast-fed infants exhibited lower body weight at 3 and 12 months, while body length remained comparable across all feeding groups.
Conclusions:
- Breast-feeding appears to directly elevate infant plasma cholesterol levels, with this effect being transient and dependent on continued lactation.
- The observed differences in body weight suggest potential metabolic programming influenced by feeding type.
- Findings underscore the temporary nature of cholesterol elevation due to breast-feeding and its distinct impact on infant growth parameters.
Abstract:
The effect of breast-feeding on plasma cholesterol, body weight, and body length was studied longitudinally in a large free-living cohort of infants (n = 512) from birth until the age of 1 year. Of the cohort, 21.4% were exclusively breast-fed for at least 3 months, 39.3% received bottle-feeding, and 39.3% received a combination of breast- and bottle-feeding. At birth the plasma cholesterol was similar in the three groups. After 3 months the mean plasma cholesterol and proportion of hypercholesterolemic infants in the breast-fed group were significantly (p less than 0.001) higher than that of the other two groups. These differences had disappeared at the age of 1 year. Breast-fed infants weighed less at 3 and 12 months, but body length was similar to those of the other groups. These results suggest that breast-feeding elevates plasma cholesterol by a direct mechanism and that the effect persists only as long as the breast-feeding is continued.